The Buzz Bin » Nikki Parrottehttp://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com
Musings and analysis on marketing, buzz and communications.Tue, 31 Mar 2015 14:55:56 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.8.1Ad Bowl XLIX: Who Scored, Who Flopped and Who Caught Us Off Guardhttp://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/ad-bowl-xlix/
http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/ad-bowl-xlix/#commentsMon, 02 Feb 2015 18:47:56 +0000http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/?p=19518Another Super Bowl has come and gone. There were miraculous catches, (potentially) heartbreaking interceptions, deflategate jokes and plenty of controversy about the “worst call in Super Bowl History.” Yet within the walls of PadillaCRT’s offices today, the hot topic of conversation is the Ad Bowl.

Who scored? Who flopped? What unexpected themes caught us off guard? Here to weigh in are two of the agency’s heaviest hitting creative minds: Heath Rudduck, Chief Creative Officer and Kelly O’Keefe, Chief Creative Strategy Officer and Professor at the acclaimed Brandcenter at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Spoiler alert… like on the Super Bowl result, we don’t all agree. With whom does your creative mind align?

HEATH:

Overall Impression:

At $150K a second, you’d better be getting your message right and executing it flawlessly. This year, I was fascinated by the attempt of so many to make Dad misty. Sure, we all understand we should work less and think about the kids more, not to mention all the other shortcomings we have, but it’s not up to a brand to tell me that. There’s nothing worse than a forced purpose. But, among the old bawdy executions and tired tales of horses and lost puppies, there were a few gems.

The Best Ads:

I love the idea of the Alwaysspot, and I truly hope they want to make a difference. I am certainly attuned to this as a dad with a growing daughter, and I can see the confidence link, but I wonder if it’s territory for them to own.

Mophie, a great idea, beautifully done, straight from a truth. This may well have been one of my favorites. AND, they took a big leap with God. To me, this is an example of brave clients and a clever idea.

Dove, give me a break. Daddyvision felt like a nice thought that didn’t quite make it. Compare it to the spots we’ve seen in the past around real beauty. There were beautiful images strung together, a lovely sentiment and the worst voice over possible to close it out.

Bud Light. Amazingly similar to an idea from Brazil where a live crew captured a sequence of events that unfolded after a proposition in a bar. The Brazilian idea was original and better.

McDonald’s, please don’t pretend to be what you’re not. With a 20 percent decline in sales, it’s McDonald’s that needs hugs. If they truly believed in this as an organization, the hugs freebies wouldn’t be random; they’d be free all day. Quick, let’s get to McDonald’s in case our meal is free. This to me is a fake sentiment with a vacuous promise. What they say is true, but I’d have looked to get hold of the guy who played McLovin’ in Superbad and taken it from there.

KELLY:

Overall Impression:

In years past, Super Bowl ads were known for their preponderance of beer, boobs and bros. It almost seemed like the target audience was 17-year-old boys. Well, not anymore. This was the most grown up Super Bowl in history, with dads and families taking a front seat, and cinematic anthems set to inspirational speeches that seemed more interested in causing goosebumps than laughter. The result was a whole lot of love, but not so many fireworks. The overall feeling was warm, but at times too lukewarm to excite.

The Best Ads:

Some of the best ads included a powerful spot for Jeep that gave us a new take on Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land.” Emotional and beautiful, the spot followed in the footsteps of past Chrysler Super Bowl stories. The company started the streak in 2011 with its “Imported from Detroit” ad featuring Detroit rapper, Eminem. The spot has been credited with stimulating the historic reversal of fortune for the company. This year’s Jeep ad edged out the centenarian Dodge ad. Its power was slightly diminished by the similarity to a North Face ad from last year.

Fiat had a hit on its hands with a Viagra-inspired ad for its larger 500x. A funny, memorable spot with just one flaw. It seems to imply that Fiat’s smaller 500 may need a little help getting powered up.

Microsoft decided not to let Apple do all the talking in the category and gave us two inspiring stories about its empowering technology. Both hit the mark and make the company look more purposeful and relevant.

And then there’s Loctite, the company’s bizarre, but humorous ad might just generate the highest ROI of the night. It was memorable, featured the product benefit prominently and is guaranteed to sell a lot of glue. I tip my hat to this new Super Bowl advertiser for taking a chance on a creative approach.

Not the Best Ad:

Deliberately left off of my favorites list, though sure to make it onto others, is the Budweiser puppy ad. To me, the fanciful but credible past stories of animal friendship took a turn too far with a sappy little puppy who finds himself trudging across the country to get home, only to be threatened by a wolf before being saved by a herd of, of course, Clydesdales. The saving grace was that the spot didn’t feature any babies.

Regardless of your opinions on Ad Bowl XLIX, we can all agree that this year was another one for the record books, for better or worse. Weigh in with your favorites, and with which missed the mark.

It’s our best guess that this weekend, you will either a) attend an epic costume party, b) hear about an epic costume party, c) see pictures of said epic costume party or d) all of the above. If you answered “d,” congratulations; your weekend will clearly be black, orange and “basic” all over. It’s not a bad thing. Adults these days LOVE Halloween. They really get into it.

The National Retail Federation predicts that this weekend, some 75 million adults will put on costumes. Americans are expected to spend $2.8 billion on costumes, according to NRF’s Halloween Consumer Spending Survey. Specifically, consumers will spend $1 billion on children’s costumes, $1.4 billion on adult costumes and $350 million on pet costumes. Moreover, total Halloween spending is estimated to reach $7.4 billion this year, with the average person spending $77.52 on indoor and outdoor décor, costumes, and candy. That’s a whole lot of money for one little weekend. Don’t get us wrong. We’re not hating; we just wonder… why?

Is it because it’s the one time each year we can get away with dressing in scary, outlandish or downright inappropriate costumes… in public?

Can we, as usual, fault the Millennials, who have adopted it as another occasion to make themselves feel special? Or perhaps adults are simply trying to keep this childhood tradition within their grasp?

So why is it really that we LOVE Halloween? Rather than treat you with the satisfaction of a tough question answered, we’ll leave this one open-ended. Call it a trick, or simply call it like it is: we don’t know.

Every four years the United States experiences a strange phenomenon –Americans seemingly become soccer enthusiasts overnight. Although online trends show an increased interest in soccer among Americans this year thanks to the World Cup, the overall data suggests many of us are more interested in telling our friends on social media how interested we are, than actually following the games.

But Facebook isn’t just providing a platform for us to boast about our soccer knowledge, it’s actually creating content relevant to the World Cup. It recently generated “The Ref,” a Facebook page that closely follows all the matches and provides colorful commentary while allowing its followers a social space to talk about everything related to the World Cup. The Ref’s sassy attitude and quick wit has garnered 409,000 “likes” and solid online engagement. And for those of us who do actually follow soccer on a regular basis, Facebook is providing curated content from the #WorldCup hashtag to tell us all about the latest news, scores and statistics.

So, whether you truly have a passion for the sport, or you’re like me and keep informed just to know what you’re coworkers are talking about, tell us in exactly six words why (or if) you’re keeping up with the World Cup.

For instance:

Real football hasn’t even started yet.

It’s on everything – news, Facebook, Twitter.

Crazy fans make the game unpredictable.

Gives me something to bet on.

Leave your six-word answer below and we will announce the winner of a $5 Starbucks gift card next week.

I remember when my dad taught me to ride my bike without training wheels. We don’t even need to go into how many times I fell before I finally picked it up, but every time I did my dad came over, untangled me from my bike, and told me to get back on and try again.

He’s always been like that. Try again, don’t quit, be respectful, work hard, be smart, be safe, be kind —these are a few of the things that my dad taught me as I grew up. He also taught me the important things like how to golf, the best way to build a snow fort and the most effective ways to irritate my mom and sister.

This weekend is the weekend that America celebrates all those father figures, which brings us to today’s BuzzLine. We want to hear the six words that you would use to describe your dad. Your answers may look something like:

Funny, Smart, Kind, Jokester, Old, Clever

The Man. The Myth. The Legend.

My dad gave Danny Tanner competition. (Full House reference.)

Leave your six-word answer in the comments and we’ll be announcing the winner of a free Starbucks gift card next week. And hey – maybe you can use it to take Dad out for a treat.

From all of us here at PadillaCRT, we want to say Thank you, Dads, for everything you do!

Do you know what stichomythia means? How about the origin of the word feuilleton? Can you even pronounce them?

These are the final words Sriram Hathwar, 14, and Ansun Sunjoe, 13, spelled correctly at this year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee to become the first co-champions since 1962. After six rounds of eliminations, the young men had essentially used up every word the competition organizers had available, resulting in a tie.

Their prize? An even split of $30,000. That’s a lot of money for two kids who don’t even have their learner’s permits.

Today’s BuzzLine question is a walk down memory lane to your pre-teen years. In SIX-WORDS, what would your 13 year old self spend $15,000 on?

Maybe…

Chunky Doc Martens. Rip-away pants.

Save it for college, of course.

Meeting my pop idol, Ricky Martin!

Leave your best six-word answer in the comment area, and you could be the winner of a Starbucks gift card. It may not be $15k, but it’s enough for a latte or two!

]]>http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/buzzline-channeling-your-pre-teen-nostalgia/feed/15BuzzLine: Change – don’t put me through it!http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/buzzline-change-dont-put-me-through-it/
http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/buzzline-change-dont-put-me-through-it/#commentsFri, 25 Apr 2014 17:46:04 +0000http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/?p=17386Unless that change is for the better, that is. The people over at Twitter recently unveiled their new and improved profile layout to hopefully answer the question, “What’s new about the new you?”

The new design highlights your most engaging tweets, allows users to pin tweets to the top of their profile and allows for more customization when it comes to filtering what tweets you see. The profile picture size is increased and the cover photo now spans the entire width of your browser.

Who doesn’t love a good refresh? These new features are cool, but how much cooler would it be if you could add ANYTHING you wanted?

In this week’s BuzzLine, let’s give some helpful, six-word suggestions to social media companies on what we’d like to see. My ideas…

Where’s the “don’t like” option, Facebook?

Every retweet plays a Prince song.

Instagram, make a better website already.

Okay, I know you have some ideas of your own, so put your suggested SIX-WORD tagline in the comments below. If we like yours the most, we will send you a Starbucks gift card for a treat on us!

]]>http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/buzzline-change-dont-put-me-through-it/feed/4Bye, Bye, Foodie: 5 Reasons Why This Word Needs to Just Go Awayhttp://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/bye-bye-foodie-5-reasons-why-this-word-needs-to-just-go-away/
http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/bye-bye-foodie-5-reasons-why-this-word-needs-to-just-go-away/#commentsFri, 04 Apr 2014 12:05:46 +0000http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/?p=17181I work in public relations. I classify groups of people and then determine the best way to communicate with them for a living. Literally, it’s my job. But I hate being classified.

Technically, I’m a Millennial. But I refuse to think every Millennial-based stereotype applies to me.

And, yes, my voter registration card technically identifies to which party I belong. But I seriously dislike the idea of taking a hard left or right.

And, sure, I love food. I love shopping for it, preparing it and, most of all, eating it. I think about food for a large portion of the day. I read about it, talk about it, pin about it, ‘gram about it.

Via Thought Catalog

I’m interested in where it comes from, how it gets to me and how it’s made. I think about the nutritional value, and how much of it is lost when I cook. But does that make me (*cringe*) a “foodie?”

Wikipedia defines a foodie as someone who “seeks new food experiences as a hobby rather than simply eating out of convenience or hunger.” Or, as Adam from GIRLS would say:

“Do you eat for fun or for fuel?”

Via Giphy

Well, I’m sorry, but I identify with a little of both. OK, a lot of both. Is it acceptable that I’m both really hungry and really excited to eat at the same time? There are a million reasons (less than a million) why I have an obsession with food. Don’t classify me. This “foodie” word needs to just go away. Here’s why:

1. The word itself is infantile.

While the term was likely created as a way to describe aspiring epicureans, trying to distance itself from a word that evokes a certain level of food expertise and, dare I say, snobbery, “foodie” is no better. To a true epicurean I’m sure it’s shudder-inducing and childish.

Since a “foodie” is food-obsessed, some might expect he or she to be extremely health-conscious and environmentally friendly, must have an extensive knowledge of food and food culture and, obviously, read the Food section of the newspaper (unless, of course, that section has been rolled in to the Lifestyle section).While it’s possible that one person possesses all of these traits, it’s an extreme generalization to think that every food lover loves food for the same reasons.

4. It breeds a subculture of self-righteous eaters.

Of course, a “foodie” will only eat heritage, grass-fed, free-range or, alternatively, wild game. Anything else would be ridiculous – right, Gwyneth? But seriously, I’m a sucker for quinoa, kale, Greek yogurt, blueberries and almond butter which, apparently, some people find pretentious. The “foodie” culture has made it so. We should absolutely care about what we eat and where it comes from, but it should by no means come with a side of entitlement.

Via BuzzFeed/@mamabickler

5. If it offends someone, it could offend anyone.

Now, I know this rule is hard to follow. And it doesn’t apply to all situations. When society comes up with a cutesy term for a cultural demographic, it’s hard to shake it – I mean really hard. (Don’t even get me started on the “mommy blogger” debate.) But the bottom line is that if we as communicators are trying to appeal to a cultural subgroup, we should abolish the use of any word that could potentially offend or misrepresent. It’s as simple as that.

For PR professionals, “foodie” represents the curious culture of the food-obsessed. It helps us as communicators to classify those publics who might take an interest in certain things, subscribe to a certain way of thinking. But it’s a starting point, not an ending point.

Who are we really trying to reach? Someone who loves the cultural exploration that food experimentation allows? Someone who is passionate about the sourcing and sustainability of the items on supermarket shelves? Someone who simply loves the adventure of creating – and then devouring – a mouthwatering masterpiece?

So, when tempted to classify someone as a “foodie,” just don’t. Surely, we can do better than that.

The opinions in this blog post are my own, and are not necessarily reflective of those of PadillaCRT as a whole.

Everyone has an opinion about the best way to market, advertise, represent, and even save a brand. As PR professionals, we work tirelessly on research to implement successful advertising strategies, study all of the components for a knock-out campaign or event, consume mass amounts of data to better understand our target audience, and the moment we think we’ve got this whole PR thing down to a science…

Here comes Beyoncé, making ‘No PR’ an actual PR strategy—dropping chart-topping albums without notice like it’s NBD. Because, let’s face it, she’s Beyoncé and she can pretty much do whatever she wants.

However, the ever-evolving list of PR dos and don’ts leaves us with a refreshing freedom to do what we want with our PR philosophy, bringing us to today’s BuzzLine.

Recently, Facebook’s head of tech communications, Caryn Marooney, offered a PR philosophy in the form of an acronym, RIBS. First of all, ribs are delicious. Secondly, it made me a little curious. What would be my PR philosophy in acronym form?

My acronyms may look something like:

ADABWD- Always Do As Beyoncé Would Do

THISPS- Trustworthiness Has Infinite Super Powers, Seriously

HAPPYS- Have Appropriate People Pursuing Your Stuff

Build your own PR acronym using exactly six words (the acronym itself does not count as one of your words), and hopefully we can reward you and your wisdom next week with a cup of free Starbucks!

Declaring pride in your hometown is empowering. It’s basically like saying, “I am partially defined by [insert city in which you live] and I am totally OK with that.”

In all seriousness, it’s a public acknowledgement of what makes you happy, what makes you feel comfortable and even what you stand for. Even more importantly, hometown pride is something that is shared – it unites us with our neighbors, creating community.

Sure, there are some things about DC that I don’t love. The roads are confusing (“so, you’re telling me that ‘Eye’ Street and ‘I’ Street are the same thing?”), there’s all kinds of traffic (“seriously, I’m going to be late because the president is taking a long lunch break!”) and the ever annoying taxation without representation (“does anyone else find it silly that it’s on our license plates?”).

BUT, there are a lot of great things, too. My six words might go something like:

State capital? Try nation’s capital. #Winning

Cherry Blossom Festival attracts world travelers.

PadillaCRT has six offices in six wonderful, beautiful and different cities (DC + Minneapolis, New York, Richmond, Los Angeles and Norfolk, Va.), and our readers come from all over. I’m hoping to see a variety of cities represented in the comments!

What’s YOUR hometown and why do YOU love it? Tell us in six words for a chance to win a Starbucks gift card.

At least, that is, as attested by its recent $19 billion acquisition of mobile messaging service, WhatsApp.

Despite the hefty price tag and seemingly unrelated social media functions, analysts say it was a worthy investment, estimating that WhatsApp and Facebook will “more closely resemble each other over time, potentially creating noteworthy competition.”

Only time will tell.

Rather than stew on the value of Facebook’s latest big buck bargain, let’s whip up some billion-dollar business ideas of our own!

In six words, pitch your $19 billion big idea to Mark Z. in the comments section. There’s no doubt Zuck reads the BuzzLine every Friday!

Maybe:

BlockItApp: To block Facebook game requests

MiseryLovesCompanyApp: Filter feed by current mood

ShouldaBeenThereApp: Experience friends’ videos through teleportation

Since money no object, colonize moon.

Once you enter your big idea, don’t forget to stop back in and VOTE for your favorite with our new BuzzLine user voting function.

Ready, set, GO!

]]>http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/buzzline-facebooks-next-big-acquisition/feed/4BuzzLine: What Would Bieber’s Publicist Do?http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/buzzline-what-would-biebers-publicist-do/
http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/buzzline-what-would-biebers-publicist-do/#commentsFri, 24 Jan 2014 16:00:34 +0000http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/?p=16662If you’re even remotely interested in the pop culture scene, you know Bieber has recently, well, lost his way.

When it comes to pitching broadcast, there are really only two very important things to know: who to pitch and how to pitch. HA! Easier said than done, right? Well, lucky for you (and me), I was able to sit down with Rebecca Cooper, anchor of Washington Business Report on the local ABC news station, to talk a bit about these two very important media relations skills.

Here are the dos and don’ts of WHO to pitch:

DO pitch a specific reporter who covers a specific topic. Typically, each reporter is expected to pitch three or so different story ideas every morning in a planning meeting, so, you have a good chance of your story being covered, if not by the reporter you pitched, by another.

DO pitch a specific producer, when it’s a high profile reporter you’re after. If it’s a well-known reporter you’re pitching, it’s often best to send an email to the producer you know works directly with them in order to rise above the clutter in their ever-growing inboxes.

DON’T only pitch the assignment desk. The assignment desk editors may be the ones calling the shots, but since they’re seeing so many story ideas coming through, it’s easy for your story to be overlooked.

Here are the dos and don’ts of HOW to pitch:

DO customize your broadcast pitch to the reporter. Just as you would tailor a print or online pitch to an individual writer’s beat, tailor your broadcast pitch to a reporter who covers a certain topic, or has in the past. A micro pitch (very personalized) is much more effective than a macro pitch (blasting a large list) because it gives the reporter a deadline and some added incentive.

Rebecca said, “I get hundreds of blast pitches a day. Unique pitches? I’m lucky if I get two a week.” Now that’s just a shame, isn’t it!?

DO butter them up, just a little. But seriously, let the reporter know that you respect them and their time by taking the time yourself to look into the type of stories they cover.

DO find a peg. Know what’s going on in the local market you’re pitching, and find some way to tie your pitch into a current event.

DO offer an exclusive. It really works – as long as it looks and really is exclusive. Put the word “exclusive” right in the subject line of your email.

DO give the reporter a deadline. No, seriously! Reporters live on and respond to deadlines. It’s what they’re comfortable with – and they love the thrill of it!

DON’T call unless absolutely necessary. Start with an email, and then follow up with another email reminding them of your deadline. At this point, it’s OK to call if you’ve still not received a response. Typically, broadcast reporters don’t mind being “pestered” via email. Email reminders every once in a while to make sure your first note was received is appreciated and welcomed.

DON’T ask if they want to grab coffee. The sad but honest truth is “ain’t nobody got time for that.” Plus, telling them you need a meeting to talk about a story idea makes it seem like too much of a hassle to cover. A reporter wants to know your story is interesting, yet simple enough that it can be shared over a quick email or phone call – not something that will take an in-person meeting to discuss.

Pitching is not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing.

Keep in mind that these tips, although likely applicable to many local affiliate stations, are coming directly from one affiliate station in Washington, D.C. It’s important to get to know one contact at every news station in the market that you’re pitching. Understand the “taste” of the news they frequently cover, and how their system operates.

What’s the most helpful piece of feedback you’ve ever received from a reporter in your pitching efforts? DO tell me in the comments section and DON’T hold back!

As public relations professionals, we are always trying to find creative ways to get our client covered by the press either through press releases and press conferences to features and special events. However, the state of the media industry, especially with newspapers, is shrinking and reporters are covering more beats. Organizations, businesses, and associations are exploring new ways to break through the clutter and get noticed by print, broadcast, and online media.

For the past 10 years, I’ve been working and volunteering for different associations and nonprofits to help raise awareness about their mission and how they are impacting their community. One of the tactics that I’ve found useful as well as successful is conducting media tours because of the resulting coverage, as well as the opportunity to build quality relationships with the media.

The key to a media tour is having a great story to tell. It’s not always about your organization, but how your product, meeting, or issue will impact the community or relates to a larger trend. You also need to personalize it.

For example, I used to work for the Association for Career and Technical Education and promoting the critical role of career and technical education in developing a qualified workforce. When Congress and the Administration wanted to cut federal funding to the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, we decided to conduct media tours in targeted districts to educate media on how the cut in funding would affect the community. I worked with the state executive director to bring together teachers and administrators, so they could provide the local perspective. The reporters want to know how the cuts would impact the city.

Media tours are a great way to raise awareness about your organization and/or meetings. For the past two years, I’ve used media tours to bring attention to ASAE’s Annual Meeting & Exposition and its impact on the host city. Twenty percent of our attendees will book a meeting in the city within the next five to seven years, so it could potentially bring close to 500 million dollars.

In 2012, ASAE and the Dallas Convention Visitors Bureau met with the Dallas Business Journal and the Dallas Morning News one month before the Annual Meeting & Exposition. We discussed the ROI for the city and used statistics from past meetings. The meetings resulted in three stories in the Dallas Business Journal and six Dallas Morning News stories, including three front page stories throughout our meeting.

For this year’s meeting, we got three stories published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle, including a case study highlighting the benefits to Atlanta. These stories resulted from our media tour and building those relationships.

Convinced that a media tour is a good fit for you? Here are a few tips on how to implement a successful one:

1) Conduct a media analysis of the outlets you are planning to meet.

Research how the outlets have covered your issue or organization, so you can better position your story.

2) If you are a nonprofit, work with the local chapter to help find local representatives, so they can personalize it.

Hold a conference call to prepare participants for the meeting so you can be on the same message.

3) When scheduling meetings with the media, offer to meet over lunch, coffee, or a site visit.

A site visit gives you the perfect situation to tell your story.

If you don’t have a large budget for an in-person media tour, you could host a virtual media tour using Google Hangout, webinars, or phone briefings. The goal is about raising awareness, telling a great story, and being creative, so you can increase the visibility of your organization.

About the Guest Blogger:

Sabrina Kidwai, APR, has been involved in public relations for 14 years working in associations, nonprofits and high-tech PR agency. She is currently the senior manager of PR for ASAE where she handles both internal and external communications, provides counsel to senior leadership, and develops strategic communication plans for the organization. She is a board member for the National Capital Chapter Public Relations Society of America, and the co-chair for the 2014 International PRSA Conference Committee. She is an alumnus of the IEL Education Policy Fellowship Program in Washington, DC. Sabrina received her Bachelor’s in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and her Master’s in Public Administration from the University of South Carolina.

]]>http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/implementing-a-successful-media-tour-easy-as-1-2-3/feed/2BuzzLine Contest – Week 18 – PadillaCRT, Together the Besthttp://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/buzzline-contest-week-18-padillacrt-together-the-best/
http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/buzzline-contest-week-18-padillacrt-together-the-best/#commentsFri, 30 Aug 2013 16:00:38 +0000http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/?p=15447Before we get started on CRT/tanaka’s most meaningful BuzzLine, we’re sending a big congratulations to Jennifer Lucado for her winning response to last week’s BuzzLine. Thanks, Jennifer!

Now, let’s buzz.

You’ve heard the good news – we’re creating a new kind of agency with our long-time partner Padilla Speer Beardsley, forming one of the top 10 independent public relations firms in the country – PadillaCRT. Starting Tuesday, whenever you call one of our offices, an owner will answer. (How cool is that?)

What other pairs can you think of that are individually great, but undeniably better together?

Leave us your six-word response in the comments section for your chance to win a Starbucks gift card. For example:

Peanut butter without jelly is NUTS!

Bottle of Corona, slice of lime.

Ready? GO!

Like the BuzzLine? Help us spread the word: #BuzzLine #PadillaCRT #PR #Marketing.

]]>http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/buzzline-contest-week-18-padillacrt-together-the-best/feed/138 Unique Ways to Go Green This Earth Day (and Beyond)http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/8-unique-ways-to-go-green-this-earth-day-and-beyond/
http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/8-unique-ways-to-go-green-this-earth-day-and-beyond/#commentsTue, 16 Apr 2013 14:38:30 +0000http://www.buzzbinpadillacrt.com/?p=14067Wednesday, April 22, 1970, a day in history which marks the first “massive nationwide protest against the pollution of the environment.” Forty-three years later, the world again prepares to celebrate Earth Day. While the psychedelic days of the ‘70s may feel like “just yesterday” for some, Mother Earth begs to differ.

Gone are the days when simply rallying around the elimination of oil spills, toxic dumps and pesticides was enough. Recycling and water conservation are no longer the end all and be all of environmental sustainability. It’s 2013 and our rapidly changing Earth cries out for a greater effort with a heightened sense of urgency. To take your environmental sustainability efforts to the next level and to spread the #GREENspiration, here are eight unique ways to go green this Earth Day (and beyond).

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

1. Dryer lint? That’s for the birds. No, seriously. Rather than throwing away your dryer lint, put it in the backyard for the birds – they use it to feather their nests. (Source: SheKnows)

2. It’s not re-gifting if you’re turning it into something even more awesome! Upcycling is a fabulous new trend which put simply means to “create new things with the stuff you already have” (thanks, eco-lifestyle expertDanny Seo). Here’s an idea – take those Wilsonart Laminate sample chips you picked up from your local hardware store and turn them into decorative accents for a gorgeous new serving tray. (Source: Good Day LA)

Transportation

3. Nonstop flights = a good time for everyone. Unless you’re a huge fan of the widely dreaded take-off and landing, or you get a rush from spending hours upon hours at airports, you’re probably pretty into nonstop flights. Good news – not only are they more convenient, they’re more sustainable. Take-off, landing and ground operations add a significant amount of emissions to a trip.

4. OK, so carpooling isn’t exactly a new concept… But, it’s ever-important. Did you know that carpooling just two days a week reduces CO2 emissions by 1,590pounds a year? Just TWO days per week = 1,590 lbs. saved. Talk to your colleagues who live near you to set up a carpooling system. (Source: One Block Off the Grid)

Energy Efficiency

5. The best things cookies come to those who wait. You know that feeling when your delicious chocolate chip cookies are taking what feels like an eternity to bake? Resist the urge to open the oven door to sneak a peek – every time you do, the temperature drops 25° F and requires additional energy to get back to baking. As it turns out, there’s an oven light for a reason. (Source: We Energies)

Food & Beverage

6. Kill two Earth-polluting birds with one stone. No, don’t actually kill birds. Step 1: start your own backyard compost. Step 2: grow your own produce in your new compost garden. Do this and you’re not only eliminating waste by finding a new use for easily decomposable trash, but you’re significantly decreasing the distance between your food and your table. This makes Mother Earth (and maybe birds) smile. (Source: SheKnows)

7. It’s 5:00 (am) somewhere. In order to better conserve, water your plants first thing in the morning. Mornings tend to be cooler and without strong winds, decreasing the amount of water lost to evaporation. It’s not technically a human beverage tip, but your plants will appreciate having more to drink. (Source: The Daily Green)

Green Competition

8. Who says it’s not easy being green? (Sorry, Kermit.) Get your company excited about Earth Day by inspiring some healthy green competition. At CRT/tanaka, we’re celebrating environmental sustainability all throughout the month of April with our Green Competition. Employees are nominating each other every time they do something green – whether that’s turning off lights in conference rooms when not in use, sharing tips for donating books, toys or clothes, eating meatless meals or powering down laptops at the end of the day – all with the promise of some rad green prizes like Whole Foods gift cards and multi-device chargers for the top-scoring Green Warriors.

I hope these eight unique ideas inspire you to go green this Earth Day. Please spread the GREENspiration by sharing this post and commenting with your Earth Day ideas below.

What makes a leader? Is it an innate trait within us or a skill that’s learned over time? Is it a carefully calculated risk or merely a happy accident? The answer is yes. All of the above.

True leaders emerge in various ways from various walks of life with various hopes, dreams, styles and personalities. And yet, there are qualities which all leaders possess: a true sense of self, passion, dedication and fearlessness. To celebrate the potential for leaders to emerge around every corner, we bring you a post saluting just a few of our favorites. Thank you for inspiring us.

Nora Ephron: The Uncompromising Leader

I’ve always loved Nora Ephron for When Harry Met Sally. She practically defined the Romantic Comedy genre with that film. She also wrote You’ve Got Mail and Julie & Julia. Before movies, Nora made a career as a prolific journalist writing critically and revealingly about the circles in which she travelled – from the feminist movement of the 1970s to the powerful wives of Washington D.C. politicians and personas (she was married to Carl Bernstein post-Watergate) to her own colleagues in the media.

She was fearless and smart enough to write about her own kind in a way that belied the eager admiration she felt towards her subjects. Often times that hopeful sentiment curdled into stark truths and uneasy admissions. After reading her articles, many of her subjects viewed her as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. But that she was so well-loved and grieved upon her sudden death last year shows the power of uncompromised truth – and not just truth with a capital “T,” but truth as she saw it and spoke it. She was admired and respected, even though she had not always been kind.

Nora’s life was her work, and to become a part of it was to become complicit; to agree to be material for her work. That is a dangerous contract, and yet so many powerful, important and famous people knowingly entered into it because they trusted her truth and her worldview; because they trusted her. She was fearless but not ruthless, she was honest, but not cruel and she was successful without compromising herself.

Jimmy Buffett: The Happy-Go-Lucky Leader

As odd as it sounds, a few months ago Jimmy Buffett became a hero of mine. I find that these days, people spend a lot of time striving – really pushing to make things happen, or even forcing them to. And our society lauds that. We reward people who have overcome the odds, but only after they have worked extremely hard to get there; only if they have pushed past every possible weakness. We rarely laud those who go with the flow, do what they love and let things unfold as they will.

About his work, Jimmy Buffett says, “I still consider it a summer job. So, I try to maintain that summer job as long as I can. But it’s exciting to be able to have the opportunity to do things I always dreamed of as a kid.” Buffett didn’t aim to be famous; he just aimed to do what he loved and those around him saw the value in it and were drawn to his songs and his way of looking at the world. Take a moment to consider creativity. Which attitude or state of being is more conducive to creation? Striving, arranging or forcing the given elements into place will never be. On the other hand, listen to Jimmy Buffett’s advice: “If you go with your instincts and keep your humor, creativity follows. With luck, success comes, too.” When too many of us are apt to look at our faces in the mirrors and see age, hard work, or our own failings, Jimmy says, “Wrinkles will only go where the smiles have been.” That’s the way we should aim to work – with joy, love and gratitude. Take a page out of his book. Smile.

Ellen DeGeneres: The Selfless Leader

While comedy and gay rights are both wonderful things and likely associations when one speaks the name “Ellen DeGeneres,” they are not the reasons why I admire this comedian, TV personality and humanitarian. I see Ellen DeGeneres as an admirable leader in the sense that she’s widely respected and loved, honest about who she is and wants to be, selective when it comes to the brands she endorses and a true advocate for the talents of our generation and those to follow.

She began as a stand-up comedian, widened her fan base through her talk show, truly became a household name when she openly admitted to being gay, suffered the trials and tribulations associated with doing so, then bounced back and in recent years has only grown in popularity. Ellen is funny, charismatic, lighthearted and charming. People love her because she’s entertaining, but also because she’s genuine. The fact that she stands up for what she believes in and stays true to herself is inspiring. It’s easy to conform and to get sucked into all the negativity in the world, so her honesty is especially beautiful.

One of the most inspiring traits Ellen possesses is the importance she places in helping others to grow and prosper. You’ve seen six-year-old piano prodigy Tsung Tsung and adorable and multi-talented Sophia Grace and Rosie. When Ellen sees a spark within someone, she goes out of her way to ignite that flame and help them skyrocket to superstardom. To have the ability to recognize the strengths in others and help them to grow into the leader they can be is a strength in and of itself that all true leaders possess. Through helping others, you help yourself.

What leaders do you admire, and why? Share with us your favorite leaders in the comments section.

Last week, I represented CRT/tanaka at Ragan’s PR Best Practices Summit at the Newseum in D.C. As can be expected from a Ragan event, the venue, the people and the presentations were excellent. (Thanks, @MarkRaganCEO!) Here are just a handful of the best practices as preached at the 2012 PR Best Practices Summit.

Don’t Even Try to Fake Core Values

The digital age has created an entirely new approach to marketing, dictated by relationships. As explained by Bob Garfield of NPR (@bobosphere), the curtain that had years ago obscured corporate activity from public view has been pulled back, leaving little to the imagination. This concept is what Bob calls the Human Element. No smart (or ethical) organization will attempt to fake core values in the era of utmost transparency.

Think Outside the Box for Blog Engagement

Southwest Airlines has done a stellar job of setting the benchmark for social media success with its award-winning corporate blog, Nuts About Southwest and recent employee blog, SWALife, as well as its Twitter, YouTube and Facebook pages. Over three million-strong, Southwest Airlines’ online community is certainly one aspiring social-savvy brands should try to emulate. Brooks Thomas of Southwest Airlines (@brooksethomas) shared one tactic for increasing engagement that Nuts About Southwest fans go, well, nuts about: SWA Stew. In the style of a “chat stew,” the SWA Stew offers a video round-up of the most popular posts of the week, reminding us that while reading a blog post is great, incorporating an interactive element makes it even greater.

Create a Brand Experience Through Advertising

Michael Litchfield of Doremus (@redwoodtiki) fired up the crowd with his bold and beautiful session title, “Advertising sucks and traditional media is dead.” To back it up, he shared with the group his secret for success in building a lasting and memorable brand experience with your advertising efforts: be any combination of provocative, entertaining, relevant, unexpected and remarkable. As explained by Michael, being provocative means only to provoke thought, entertaining to be funny and remarkable to be “remark-worthy.” This can be expanded to apply to not only advertising, but to any aspect of branding, marketing and public relations. His presentation displayed five out of five of these guidelines, leaving the crowd with a clear sense of the Doremus brand experience.

Stick a Gosh Darn Digit in Your Release Headline

The press release is not dead, according to Sarah Skerik of PR Newswire (@sarahskerik). I tend to agree. (Bring it on, Press Release Haters!) This said, far from the traditional release we once knew, today’s release has changed and evolved when it comes to format, structure, intended audience and shareability, thanks to social media. While it was good to hear what Sarah, the Press Release Guru, had to say about the tool, what may have been the most valuable tidbit from her presentation was all about the numbers. She shared with the group that the releases that find the most success include a number in the headline – not a spelled-out number (four, five, six, etc.), but a digit (4, 5, 6, etc.). This, as could Michael’s teachings, can be applied to blog posts and, I’d be willing to bet, award entries.

Be Live, Local, Personal and Social

Last, but not least, Patrick Stiegman of ESPN.com (@ESPN) set the stage for a successful modern day media platform by sharing ESPN’s strategy for engagement. A leading online media platform, ESPN.com is a great example of how to give consumers what they want, when they want it, where they want it. Offering multiple options for receiving sports news and updates, ESPN strives to be live, local, personal and social – a mantra we should all follow with the power of social media and mobile literally at our fingertips. On a somewhat unrelated note, Patrick also threw out a quite impressive statistic: 85 million Americans use TV and Internet simultaneously every day. Way to be ahead of the curve, ESPN.

There you have it – a quick and dirty list of the best practices preached at the 2012 PR Best Practices Summit. Summit attendees: what did you take away as the best practice from this year’s summit? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so tweet me @nikki_parrotte or shoot me an email at nparrotte@crt-tanaka.com.

Ahh, Millennials. The generation that wants, expects and needs. Sure, Millennials have received a lot of criticism over the past few years for the negative connotation behind these seemingly narcissistic traits, but consider the positive effects these driving forces of “wanting,” “expecting” and “needing” have on the way today’s corporations do business. Through the lens of Corporate Responsibility, you may reconsider the meaning of the stereotypes that label this generation, and even think twice about the potential this generation can contribute to your organization’s own Corporate Responsibility efforts.

Image courtesy of CauseCast

Millennials want transparency.

When it comes to purchasing a product, or investing time and energy in supporting a cause, Millennials want to know what they’re getting themselves into. They demand to know how and where a product was made, the extent of the impact the product has on the environment and just where the money they shell out for this product is going. It is the skepticism built by the open and flowing channels of free information that prompts Millennials’ desire to validate the source of their products and services. If a corporation is poorly communicating its business practices and procedures with its employees, partners or publics, there becomes a disconnect which sometimes translates to a hidden agenda. Transparency in today’s hyper-connected society is of the utmost importance. “Wanting,” in this case, serves as a motivator, and is actually a very good thing.

Millennials expect sustainability.

While responsible business practices include areas like economic, social and cultural sustainability, Millennials are usually pegged for their expectation of environmental sustainability. Aware of the rate of deterioration and depletion of our earth’s natural resources, this generation is more explicit than any in its expectations of corporations to use all available means to preserve and protect what we have left. As stated by my colleague in a previous Buzz Bin post, “It’s no longer just a good idea for businesses to instill sustainable business practices, it’s become an expectation.” To take it a step further, not only do they as consumers hold corporations to this expectation, but Millennials in the workplace highly value the opportunity for volunteerism and contribution to sustainable practices, as found by Deloitte’s 2011 Volunteer IMPACT Survey.

Image courtesy of Deloitte via VolunteerMatch

Millennials need accountability.

Accountability is phase two of transparency. While Millennials want corporations to be transparent in their business practices, this generation expresses a need to hold the same corporations accountable for staying true to these practices and their impact – during good times and bad.

Harness the want, the expectation and the need.

How will you harness the driving force behind Millennials’ wants, expectations and needs? Maybe you’ll task them with spearheading an internal Green Team or look to them for support in communicating your organizations strategic Corporate Responsibility plan via social media platforms. YourCause has a few additional ideas for reining in the power of Millennials’ expectations. In terms of tapping into Millennials’ potential to contribute to an organization’s Corporate Responsibility expertise, we’ve barely scratched the surface.

Share with us what has worked for you. We’d love to hear how your company is utilizing this power in the comments section or on our Facebook wall.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of weeks, you’ve probably heard about, and hopefully prepared your brand pages for the changes that come with the new Facebook Timeline. As a refresher, I’ve compiled these changes into a list of the top three things you’ll need to remember in order to effectively tell your brand story and fully tap into your potential with Timeline in the next few weeks and beyond.

Imagery, Imagery, Imagery

There is nothing more important for brands than populating a file of rich brand images. Timeline is a highly visual experience, beginning with a page-wide cover photo. Whether you’ve selected a powerful stand-alone product image or created a collage of storytelling snapshots, this cover photo should capture the interest of your fans, inviting them to enter into your brand’s online world. The photo we chose for our client, Rioja Wine is an excellent example of how best to utilize this new Facebook function. Not only is it colorful and captivating, but the photo tells the story of Rioja Wines. Nothing fancy, just a highly impactful, culture-rich brand image.

While the cover photo is the first thing a fan sees, brands should also tap into their file of rich brand images for regular Timeline posts – and often. Any true storyteller knows that sharing an image is much more powerful than any carefully crafted body of text. To stay true to this guideline, I’ll let each of the following images previously posted on our client, Early Mountain Vineyards’ Timeline speak for itself.

Mastering Milestones

One of the most important elements of telling a brand’s story is celebrating its history. With the new Facebook Timeline, brands have the ability to do so via the new milestone function. Just select “milestone” in the sharing tool at the top of your brand’s page, then add a headline, location, date, description and photo to illustrate all the important pieces of your brand’s history. Check out how we’ve utilized this function to tell our client, Cambria Suites’ story.

Playing Telephone

Just as in the children’s game of telephone, Facebook provides a function for fans to pass along a story to their friends, friends of friends, friends of friends of friends and so on. In addition to the posting of engaging and “shareworthy” content, Premium Ads and Reach Generator provide new opportunities for brands for expanded engagement. As we make our way into the second quarter of the year, we will be experimenting with these new capabilities in order to ensure our brands’ stories are heard.

And now for your viewing pleasure, just a few more of our clients’ stunning cover photo selections. They’ve really taken to Timeline!

Last Monday, I attended marketing communications and social media conference, What’s Next DC hosted by Green Buzz Agency. The conference attracted public relations and social media enthusiasts alike, offering plentiful speaker sessions and opportunities for networking with peers.

Intended to ignite a social spark, much of the conference tied into strategic planning for 2012. As said by keynote speaker Major George Hood, chief communications officer for Salvation Army, “A river without banks becomes a swamp.” In the spirit of building the most strategic and sturdy of banks, here are my three key takeaways.

Humor = Humanization

Corporate comedian Tim Washer (@timwasher) shared this key to social video success. Contrary to popular belief, there is room for a little humor when it comes to marketing to B2B brands. In order to engage on the social web, a brand must keep in mind the fundamental reasons why social video works. As humans, we’re compelled to share content that is entertaining and relatable, so layer a laugh or two into an otherwise mundane promotional video. Here’s Cisco’s take on humanization through humor.

*Tip from Washer: Test your video concept at different stages of production. What’s funny to you may not be quite so entertaining to someone else.

Facebook Wants to Be Invisible

Well, relatively invisible – throughout the user experience, that is. The social network thrives namely because of the personalization of the user experience. Content strategist Amy Thibodeau (@amythibodeau) shared that Facebook is well aware of this delicate balance. Becoming too visible to users would detract from the experience for which the interface was built.

*To all of you proponents for the introduction of a “dislike” button, you might as well give it a rest. According to Thibodeau, “It’s not going to happen.” This would make negativity far too easy, something Facebook does its best to discourage.

User-Generated Content is King

At least in the case of extreme fandom empire Dunkin’ Donuts. Public relations and social media manager, Jessica Gioglio (@savvybostonian) admitted that while “America runs on Dunkin’,” Dunkin’ social media is run by the fans. Rather than a continuous stream of branded content via its social channels, she attempts to provide these fans with the tools with which to express their passion. With more than 5.6 million likes on Facebook and high-level engagement to prove it, this strategy works.

*Disclaimer: I am by no means a Patriots fan, in fact, I’m am and forever will be an avid supporter of the Big Blue. One fun fact Gioglio shared with us at the conference is that Dunkin’ sponsors both teams in the Super Bowl this year. Guess they’ve chosen sides…

I congratulate Green Buzz Agency on a successful conference, and the numerous speakers and moderators on thought-provoking discussion. The case studies, tips and tricks that were shared are sure to assist all who attended in mapping out what’s next for 2012.